--------------It's natural to be curious about our world, but the scientific method is just one theory about how to best understand it. We live in a democracy, which means we should treat every theory equally. - Steven Colbert, I Am America (and So Can You!)

--------------"[A scientific theory] describes Nature as absurd from the point of view of common sense. And it agrees fully with experiment. So I hope you can accept Nature as She is - absurd."- Richard P. Feynman

After I go in for a checkup with the doctor next week, I plan to get lit up as I've been a good boy. No alcohol, fried food, easy on deserts, back running (back up to 10k at least twice a week), etc. Yes, life really sucks. (On another topic, does exercise, eating right really make one live longer or does it just feel that way?0

So I ask the good gent from Wales. I like the dark stouts and porters. I also enjoy a good ale, not IPAs though.

What are some of the best you think are out there that I might be able to procure in the US?

--------------Marriage is not a lifetime commitment, it's a life sentence!

After I go in for a checkup with the doctor next week, I plan to get lit up as I've been a good boy. No alcohol, fried food, easy on deserts, back running (back up to 10k at least twice a week), etc. Yes, life really sucks. (On another topic, does exercise, eating right really make one live longer or does it just feel that way?0

So I ask the good gent from Wales. I like the dark stouts and porters. I also enjoy a good ale, not IPAs though.

What are some of the best you think are out there that I might be able to procure in the US?

Good? No.

Gent? Only with a supporting cast of thousands and a strong tailwind.

From Wales? {Faints with rage}

Guinness. It travels reasonably well, it is reasonably good and very consistent. If you can even get a Mackeson's try that. IMO avoid Murphy's like the plague.

As for ales, well I shall be banished from CAMRA for even thinking it, but some of the American microbrew ales I've tried are not hideously insipid donkey piss. So your domestic market might be an option.

As for English stuff, if you can get anything from the Badger brewery (they seem to have a wide distribution) then give it a go, Golden Champion for a preference. Personally, I love Ringwood beers, but the chances of you getting them in the US are minimal (I haven't checked so could be wrong). If you find anything from Bateman's brewery buy all of it and store it in a fortified camp, then spend the next however long drinking it in a slightly surly way.

It's a starting point. Boddingtons is piss, avoid. Ditto Murphys and Newcastle Brown. The former is syrupy crap, the latter is a fighting brew you should only drink if you intend violence. Old Speckled Hen should only be drunk from a bottle in an emergency.

The Fullers, Melbourne Bros, Samuel Smiths or Tranquair ales all seem good. Fullers is a decent brewery, the ESB is a nice beer IMO. This place also sells Guinness, unfortunately only the extra stout, which is a bit more real than most people can handle, and isn't the "draught" with which most people are familiar.

They also have a decent selection of European beers. Chimay is a personal fave. Try the Lindemans Lambic beer, it ages like wine and is a real unique joy. If you're feeling adventurous try the wheat beer Hoegaarden (pronounced: "chchcHOOchchcHARTen", with the "ch" being the one from "loch" not "cheese").

Fortunately we have a lovely little "pub" here near me that gets it on tap. I quite enjoy, and would right now more so...

Draught is ok. Bottles always seem to me, and de gustibus non est disputandum, to be lack a certain something.

Louis

I agree.

I have always wondered about the chemistry in this. Why are kegs and casks so much better for beer (it seems) than bottling? Is it volume related? Do they have to use a slightly different recipe for bottling? Never quite understood that.

--------------we IDists rule in design for the flagellum and cilium largely because they do look designed. Bilbo

The only reason you reject Thor is because, like a cushion, you bear the imprint of the biggest arse that sat on you. Louis

Fortunately we have a lovely little "pub" here near me that gets it on tap. I quite enjoy, and would right now more so...

Draught is ok. Bottles always seem to me, and de gustibus non est disputandum, to be lack a certain something.

Louis

I agree.

I have always wondered about the chemistry in this. Why are kegs and casks so much better for beer (it seems) than bottling? Is it volume related? Do they have to use a slightly different recipe for bottling? Never quite understood that.

None of the above. Just stinking to non-metric units:

Barrel = 55 gallons (OBTW, how many litres in a barrel)

Bottle = 12 oz.

You know that you can drink far more than one bottle but even in two or three sittings, the barrel might be a bit much.

--------------Marriage is not a lifetime commitment, it's a life sentence!

For kegs I'm going to go with vanillin. Anything in wood is going to have more vanillin and similar wood products in it, and thus be a much more "rounded" flavour.

If we ignore contributions to flavour from the "packaging" beer in presurised kegs (metal)/unpressurised casks (wood) will have advantages over bottled beer in (at least) three ways:

1) It is in the dark and therefore unlikely to be lightstruck. If memory serves the Hen bottles are clear glass and thus offer little protection from (UV) light. Also IIRC Hen is a "bitter" bitter, thus has lots of lovely isohumulones to turn into skunky thiols.

2) Aeration and oxygen. The method by which these things are poured aerates them, perhaps allowing for some oxidation of various compounds (not checked the GC profiles of various beers, so cannot comment accurately) and certainly for the formation of bubbles. Everyone knows bubbles make thing taste good! Taste a beer poured through a sparkler as opposed to a flat, open nozzle. It makes a difference.

3) Freshness. The turnaround of keg beer is usually pretty damn fast. Bottles can linger longer.

I have no idea about different recipes for bottles vs kegs, but the above are sufficient to produce big changes in taste.

2) Aeration and oxygen. The method by which these things are poured aerates them, perhaps allowing for some oxidation of various compounds (not checked the GC profiles of various beers, so cannot comment accurately) and certainly for the formation of bubbles. Everyone knows bubbles make thing taste good! Taste a beer poured through a sparkler as opposed to a flat, open nozzle. It makes a difference.

HTH

Louis

Louis - Is something like this what you are suggesting? I know it works great for wines.... never considered using for beer.

--------------Come on Tough Guy, do the little dance of ID impotence you do so well. - Louis to Joe G 2/10

Gullibility is not a virtue - Quidam on Dembski's belief in the Bible Code Faith Healers & ID 7/08

For kegs I'm going to go with vanillin. Anything in wood is going to have more vanillin and similar wood products in it, and thus be a much more "rounded" flavour.

If we ignore contributions to flavour from the "packaging" beer in presurised kegs (metal)/unpressurised casks (wood) will have advantages over bottled beer in (at least) three ways:

1) It is in the dark and therefore unlikely to be lightstruck. If memory serves the Hen bottles are clear glass and thus offer little protection from (UV) light. Also IIRC Hen is a "bitter" bitter, thus has lots of lovely isohumulones to turn into skunky thiols.

2) Aeration and oxygen. The method by which these things are poured aerates them, perhaps allowing for some oxidation of various compounds (not checked the GC profiles of various beers, so cannot comment accurately) and certainly for the formation of bubbles. Everyone knows bubbles make thing taste good! Taste a beer poured through a sparkler as opposed to a flat, open nozzle. It makes a difference.

3) Freshness. The turnaround of keg beer is usually pretty damn fast. Bottles can linger longer.

I have no idea about different recipes for bottles vs kegs, but the above are sufficient to produce big changes in taste.

HTH

Louis

Ahhhh! Much abliged! That all makes sense. Now I really want a draught!

--------------we IDists rule in design for the flagellum and cilium largely because they do look designed. Bilbo

The only reason you reject Thor is because, like a cushion, you bear the imprint of the biggest arse that sat on you. Louis

2) Aeration and oxygen. The method by which these things are poured aerates them, perhaps allowing for some oxidation of various compounds (not checked the GC profiles of various beers, so cannot comment accurately) and certainly for the formation of bubbles. Everyone knows bubbles make thing taste good! Taste a beer poured through a sparkler as opposed to a flat, open nozzle. It makes a difference.

HTH

Louis

Louis - Is something like this what you are suggesting? I know it works great for wines.... never considered using for beer.

Louis - Hmmm... I read your link - thanks - but it refers primarily to beer engines, and accessing the beer from a keg. At home, I am stuck with drinking bottled beer, even though I prefer to pour it into a glass, and I think that my wine aerator may improve the taste of bottled beer.

I do believe that this calls for some observation and serious experimentation...

edited for sp

--------------Come on Tough Guy, do the little dance of ID impotence you do so well. - Louis to Joe G 2/10

Gullibility is not a virtue - Quidam on Dembski's belief in the Bible Code Faith Healers & ID 7/08

Louis - Hmmm... I read your link - thanks - but it refers primarily to beer engines, and accessing the beer from a keg. At home, I am stuck with drinking bottled beer, even though I prefer to pour it into a glass, and I think that my wine aerator may improve the taste of bottled beer.

I do believe that this calls for some observation and serious experimentation...